Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Harry had woken up with gusto this morning. Today was a very important day- the day the break started. The plan was simple. Draco would be going home to retrieve some on his things, while Theo and Daphne would go directly to the manor. Harry had plans of his own though.
"Come on Draco, Theo, we'll be late if we don't hurry!" Harry called as his friends lugged behind him, trunks dragging across the ground. Another great thing about the day was that he would see Isaac again after ages of waiting. It would be great to see his old friend again after a few weeks.
"Harry, why aren't you tired? You were up last night playing cards and drinking too" Draco whined, obviously suffering from a hangover. Harry smiled cheerfully. It was true. In honor of Christmas break and end of term, the three had stayed up all night playing poker and drinking their asses off.
"See, I was smart enough to not drink ten bottles of firewhiskey in three hours, unlike the two of you who decided to go all out" He told them and continued walking to the train. "Today is a very important day for me, so hurry the hell up" He said in a singsong voice.
"Shut up you goddamned demon! Why must you be so perky in so wee hours of the morning" Theo asked glaring at said demon. Harry merely smiled back.
"It's not exactly the wee hours is it?" he asked rhetorically. "It's already almost eleven, yet you two are still not awake" He said, pointing at the two. "Now come on, we have five minutes, so run with me will you?" He asked, breaking into a run with his trunk on his back.
Theo turned to Draco. "How is he running with his trunk?" He asked and the blond responded wryly.
"Feather light charm" Theo chuckled.
"Why didn't we think of that?" he asked and Draco shrugged.
"Drinking and thinking don't mix well?" he guessed before both of them broke out laughing. "No seriously, we better hurry or we will miss the train" he reminded Theo and both boys ran, trunks being dragged in the snow behind them.
They managed to hop onto the train just as it began to move away from the station, from Hogwarts, from reality.
Once the Slytherins gathered a compartment of their own, Harry spared his two dorm mates and gave them each a vial of hangover potion.
"Thank Merlin for small favors" Draco muttered as the potion kicked in. "So Harry, you think you won the spot for Slytherin's champion?" he asked. "The potion I had was hard as hell. It wasn't even close to the correct color" Harry laughed.
"I dunno, mine wasn't much better. Did you catch how the sixth year did?" Harry asked out of curiosity.
"Yeah, he did fairly well I think. His potion was periwinkle, and it was supposed to be more of an ocean blue" Draco told him and Theo laughed.
"Wow Draco, still feeling a bit hung over?" Theo asked laughing. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Forget it guys; how about a game of chess" Daphne said taking out a set. "Anyone?" She asked and all three boys backed away. Daphne was ruthless when she played chess and crushed all those who stood in her way.
"I have to go meet Hermione" Draco said, a look of comical terror on his face. He scrambled out of the compartment to go meet his girlfriend.
"Yeah, I'd love to Daphne, but I have to go… to the bathroom" Harry said as he scrambled towards the lavatory. That left Theo as he victim of choice. She smiled wickedly at him before asking in a sickly sweet voice.
"Black or white?"
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After Daphne had gotten over her sycophantic mood, the four began to talk.
"So, Harry, about this house, you didn't tell us much" Theo began and Harry nodded.
"Well, I liked it. It was pretty cheap because it's located out of the way of the city. A couple of things you should know about it though. It won't be connected to floo and we can't use portkeys to get in or out. Everything must be done by apparating. Anything else could be traced" he warned and all three nodded firmly. They wouldn't disobey Harry, they weren't that stupid.
"Right then how big is it?" Draco asked and Daphne groaned.
"Nothing compared to Malfoy manor of course, but it is quite big. It has six bedrooms and a game room, a living room and a huge kitchen. It's a fairly sizeable place, but again, it's muggle" He reminded them. "I'm going to drop home and pick up my stuff. What about you guys?" He asked looking around.
"Daph and I are probably going to hang around London and buy some muggle clothes. We want to blend in as much as possible right?" Theo asked stroking Daphne's hair.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Draco, you going home to pick up what your mother is to give to you?" he asked and Draco nodded.
"Yeah, he letter made it seem like something important, so I want to get it a.s.a.p." Draco said and Harry agreed.
"Don't put it off then, apparate straight home and then all four of us will meet in the leaky cauldron at four" Harry said. "I might be late, but you three, try and stick together" Harry warned. "The train's slowing. We better change into muggle clothing" Harry said and pulled down their trunks.
After they changed, Harry grabbed his trunk and led the four to the platform. They all set their trunks down and said their goodbyes. At the last minute, Harry held Daphne back.
"Daph, here are one hundred galleons. I ordered something at that potion shop in Knockturn. Pick it up for me? It should cost eighty eight. Keep the rest incase you need them" Harry said, handing over a sack of money to his friend. Daphne smiled warmly.
"Of course I will Harry, and thanks for the extra galleons. They might just come in handy" She said before departing. "Take care Harry. See you at four!" She called as she ran to catch up with Theo.
"Yeah, see you" Harry called back before turning around to find his family. He couldn't. Then it hit him. They had said something about Thomas going home with the Weasleys and that he was to apparate home. Harry sighed before flicking his wrist and appearing in his house.
"Harry dear!" his mother greeted as he regained his bearings. "How's school going?" she asked as she continued decorating the house.
"Fine" he said, dropping his trunk in the hall. Making his way up the stairs and too his room, he noticed the lack of people in the house. "Mum, where is everyone?" He called from his room.
"Your father will be back soon. He went to grab some groceries! Remus and Sirius should be around later" his mother called back.
Harry opened his closet and pulled out his old trunk. He began to pack all his clothes he wanted, his electronics and his books and albums. Realizing it would be near impossible to do it all by hand, he flicked his wand swiftly and his things began to collect. They formed a huge tornado and began to fill into his trunk.
In ten minutes, every single item he wanted was in his trunk. "Gotta love magic" he mumbled appreciatively and closed the clasp of the trunk. "A feather light charm and we're all set" he said and pulled his trunk over his shoulder. He descended the stairs just as his father came through the door with a few bags of groceries.
"Where you going son?" a very confused James Potter asked his son.
"I'm moving out" Harry answered with perfect nonchalance. James gaped.
"Lily, come out here for a second" he called.
"Busy honey" she called from the kitchen.
"This is important" James called back firmly. Lily came from the kitchen wearing an apron.
"Yes dear?" she asked, hands on her hips.
"Did you know Harry was moving out?" he asked his wife and she shook her head.
"No, I never heard this. Is it true Harry dear?" she asked, her eyes begging him to say no. He didn't comply.
"Yeah it is true. I found a house and I'm moving in with a couple of friends" he told her and she began to tear up.
"Harry, please, let's talk about this" she begged and pulled him over to the kitchen table. James and Lily each took a seat across from Harry.
"Why are you in such a hurry to move out?" James asked. "You have everything you could ever want right here. A great home, a family that loves you" He began listing and Harry snorted. "What?" James asked in confusion.
"A family that loves me?" Harry asked skeptically. "All this family loves is its golden boy" Harry told them and both seemed taken aback.
"What are you talking about Harry?" Lily asked. "Anything you ever wanted, we got you no matter how expensive. Anything you asked for was yours"
"And what about what I didn't ask for?" he asked looking her in the eye with a steel gaze.
"What do you mean by that?" James asked.
"I mean love. You gave me whatever material possessions I wanted, yes, but did you provide me with love and affection?" He asked and both parents hesitated before answering.
"We love you, you know that" James said after a moment of silence.
"Have you ever told me that? Have you ever hugged me except on special occasions? On my last birthday, you wouldn't even let me invite my friends!" Harry pointed out.
"That was for your brother's safety!" James cried out in protest. "And we always thought you didn't really like physical contact" he added. Harry laughed mockingly.
"And what would you know about what I like?" he asked condescendingly. "Do you know anything about me?" Harry sneered and James opened his mouth to protest.
"Of course we do!" He said hotly. "You're our son" he exclaimed
"No, you don't. Everything is about Thomas. Thomas this, Thomas that. I don't have any bloody pull around this house! You treat me like a guest, not like family" Harry said coldly.
"That's not true" Lily wailed, tears on the verge of crossing the thresholds of her eyes. She almost seemed to be trying to convince herself of the very fact, but was failing miserably.
"You've ignored that fact because I chose never to speak up. Love isn't something one should have to ask for. It should be given by choice. I no longer wish to impose my presence upon you any longer" Harry said getting up.
"Harry please reconsider" James begged, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Son, it may seem like we don't sometimes, but we do love you" Harry looked away.
"I don't believe you" he said stiffly and James flinched at the icy nature of his son's voice.
"Please Harry, don't do this" lily begged. "I know we haven't been the greatest parents in the world, but at least give us another chance!" She sobbed out, the floodgates finally cracking under pressure.
"Another chance?" Harry laughed. It was a cold laugh that sent chills down both parents' spines. A heartless, cruel laugh. "You've had seventeen years to make any amends you wanted. I don't have another seventeen years to waste on your lies" he told them and the both averted their eyes, ashamed of what had happened to their family.
"Harry, please! We're… sorry" Lily choked out as James patted her on the back.
"Sorry? Sorry can't change what happened. Sorry can't change what you did" Harry mocked. Truth be told, he was enjoying this in a very disturbing way. "I've never gotten my way in this house, except for today. There is no one who can change my decision. For once, I won't be overruled by Thomas" he said.
"Harry, please be reasonable" James implored.
"Reasonable? The time for reason has long passed. In fact, that time ended when I entered Slytherin, the slimy snake house, right father?" James hung his head in shame, recognizing what he had called the house throughout his life. "You always used to preach about how slimy Slytherins were evil little devils who deserved to be hexed and treated like scum. Well, I have news for you. I'm one of them" Harry exclaimed in anger.
"Son, I know…" James began weakly.
"NO, you don't know anything! I know what a jerk you were back in the day. After all, Snape is my head of house. I know exactly what you think of people like me" Harry interrupted.
"Harry, I was a child back then. I didn't know better" James said attempting to redeem himself a little.
"Well if that were true, why did you distance yourself from me when I was sorted into Slytherin? Did my entrance into that house hurt you? Did I become an enemy?" Harry taunted and James exploded.
"NO, YOU DIDN'T!" James said before calming down. "You brought back memories, of past mistakes and I thought that… that your brother and you would become like me and Snape were. I thought you two, who were always so close, would become different sides of a coin. I thought that you would seek solace with the death eaters, just like Snape did" James admitted quietly.
"You lost trust in me. You didn't think I would remain loyal to the family and Thomas" Harry added coldly. "You expected me to fall into the wrong crowd. But not for a minute did you do anything to ensure I didn't. Did you think my family meant nothing to me?" Harry asked heatedly. He closed his eyes and calmed himself. "Look, I didn't come here to argue with you" he said. James looked up. "All I came to ask is why? Why did you treat me like that? Was it because I wasn't the famous one? Why? All I came here for was the truth" Harry said and James looked him dead in the eye.
"I'll give you the truth; I owe you that much" James admitted as Lily continued to cry next to him. "Your brother was, as you know, in a prophecy. You two were only told the half of it; the part that said Thomas was the chosen one. What we haven't told you is the last part" James said and Harry nodded for him to continue. "The last part said that Voldemort and Thomas would fight till the death- that one would die by the hands of the other" James said and Harry's eyes lit up in recognition.
"So in case he died and you lost him, you tried to spend as much time making him happy as possible right? You tried to save him before he died" Harry said and James nodded. Harry turned and headed towards the door. "In trying to save one son, you lost the other" he stated and walked through the open door.
Behind him he heard Lily sob and James call his name, but he closed his eyes and moved forward.
Without looking back.